Food and Dining Briefs for Sept. 30

Luxury nightclub now open in Carmel Valley:
The
Grand Del Mar Resort has transformed its Clubhouse Grill restaurant
into Club M, an upscale locale that's restaurant by day and sports
lounge/nightclub with live entertainment by night. The grill's
front dining room is still serving breakfast and lunch daily, but
its bar and back patio area have been transformed into a nightspot
managed by James Cassady. The new 2,180-square-foot space, which
opened last week, has been redesigned by architect Graham Downes
and includes a 110-seat lounge with four 85-inch flat-screen TVs, a
stage with live entertainment Thursdays-Saturday nights and an
outdoor patio that overlooks the golf course. Thomas J. Voss, the
resort's president, said the resort needed a new meeting space with
indoor and outdoor seating, and the space has already been booked
for birthdays and corporate parties through the end of the year.
Chef Ernie Lopez has created a Club M tapas menu (two for $16,
three for $23 or four for $29) with dishes like Bacon Fries, Duck
Confit Flatbread, Wild Mushroom Ravioli and Beef Slider Trio, and
there's a menu of 25 signature hand-mixed cocktails. Club hours are
4 to 10 p.m. Sundays-Wednesdays and 4 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Thursdays-Saturdays at 5200 Grand Del Mar Way. Club M has no cover
charge except when special concert acts are booked (Grammy-winning
jazz vocalist Steve Tyrell will perform Thursday through Saturday
and Oct. 21-23; tickets are $75). Valet parking is $5. Call
858-314-2700.

Brandt Beef at James Beard House:
Brandt Beef
(managing partner Eric Brandt lives in North County) will be the
featured item at the prestigious James Beard House in New York on
Thursday for a nose-to-tail dinner with the chef of Boston's Grill
23 & Bar. The menu includes smoked tongue, torched short rib,
grilled cube steak, beef heart rillettes and more (much more, as
those make up the appetizers). Go to www.brandtbeef.com.

Flippin' Pizza raises money for skate park:
During October, Flippin' Pizza outlets will raise money for the
Tony Hawk Foundation's efforts to build a skate park in Carlsbad. A
percentage of sales at stores in Encinitas, La Costa, Vista and
Carlsbad will go toward the program, and diners can enter drawings
for free prizes. Visit flippinpizza.com.

Hacienda de Vega upgrades website:
The
Escondido restaurant at 2608 S. Escondido Blvd. has redesigned its
website (haciendadevega.com) so diners can now make online
reservations, read the chef's blog, peruse a gallery of food and
restaurant images and videos, learn about special events, and sign
up for social media connections.

New eatery in Point Loma:
Sessions Public, a
new American bar and restaurant, has opened at 4204 Voltaire St. in
Point Loma. Owner Abel Kaase's moderately priced small plates menu
includes modern takes on American classics like grilled cheese
sandwiches, soups, burgers, salads, pasta and seafood. Specials
include Cask and Mussels Night on Thursdays Grilled Cheese
Tuesdays; and Sessions Social hours ($2 off drinks and shared
plates from 2 to 6:19 p.m. daily). There are 16 beers on tap. The
restaurant opens at 11 a.m. daily. Visit sessionspublic.com.

San Diego beer wins gold:
Karl Strauss Brewing
Company's Red Trolley Ale recently won the Gold Medal at the 29th
annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver. Red Trolley Ale also
won the gold medal earlier this year at the World Beer Cup in
Chicago.

Carruth Cellars opens in Solana Beach:
Carruth
Cellars Winery on Cedros, a boutique winery and tasting bar, opened
last month in the Cedros Design District at 320 S. Cedros Ave.,
Suite 400. Open from noon to 9 p.m. daily, Carruth Cellars makes
its own wines from single-vineyard sources in California's north
coast, Russian River and Lake County growing regions.
Owner/winemaker Adam Carruth ages his wines in oak barrels onsite.
Varieties include zinfandels, malbec, pinot noir, cabernet
sauvignon and barbera. Visit carruthcellars.com.

NEW MENUS

Islands updates menu:
Carlsbad-based Islands
Restaurants, which specializes in beach-style casual fare, has
updated its offerings with a new grill menu offering lighter dishes
such as grilled fish tacos at many of its locations (including
Encinitas and Carlsbad) and a Paradise's Bikini Beach menu with
four entrees under 680 calories (turkey burgers, veggie tacos,
chicken tacos and Greek salad). The regular menu includes 12
gourmet hamburgers, soft tacos dishes, and lunch and dinner entrees
from $8.25 to $10.85. From Oct. 4-17, the restaurant will thank
customers with free scratch-off game cards with prizes valued up to
$75 (the cards must be scratched off by employees on next visit).
Also new is a Monday Night Football Happy Hour from 4 p.m. to close
Mondays (regular happy hour is 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays), with
half-price appetizers and $1 off beer, wine and cocktails.

IHOP beefs up fall menu:
Pancakes will still be
the centerpiece of IHOP's menu, but a newly redesigned menu for
fall has 20 new offerings, including a line of "Bacon 'N Beef"
burgers, Maui Style Crunchy Shrimp, Chicken Fajita Quesadilla,
Loaded Potato and Bacon Soup, Simple & Fit seasonal fresh fruit
crepes (with 600 calories or less) and Take Two Combos (choice of
soups, salads and half-sandwiches). There are also new breakfast
entrees including the Belgian Waffle Combo, Biscuits and Gravy
Combo, and Cinn-A-Stack Pancakes and French Toast, which have
cinnamon roll filling, cream cheese icing and whipped topping.
Visit ihop.com.

Glass Door adds brunch:
The Glass Door
Restaurant and Lounge at Porto Vista Hotel in Little Italy now
offers an a la carte brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and
Sundays. The restaurant also added a daily cocktail menu with
concoctions like the Vanillapeno Margarita, Blackberry Lick and
Ginger-Pear Smash. Visit portovistasd.com.

Linkery adds lunch:
North Park's The Linkery is
now open for lunch, with hours from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. A
dedicated lunch menu will be served on weekdays, and dinner menu
options are available all day. The Linkery is also hosting a Stone
Brewing Pairings Dinner on Thursday for $9. And from Sunday through
Sept. 24, the restaurant hosts San Diego Farm Week, with a
prix-fixe vegetarian three-course dinner featuring local produce
for $25. Visit thelinkery.com.

Suite & Tender offers new bistro value
menu:
Chef Anthony Calamari at Suite & Tender
restaurant in the Se San Diego Hotel has introduced a new American
Bistro menu of entrees inspired by his training in French and
California cuisine, with all dishes priced under $25. Now under new
management, the restaurant has moved away from its exclusive,
fine-dining steakhouse concept for a more accessible, everyday
menu. The raw bar and high-end steaks are gone from the menu, along
with the select-your-own steak knife concept. Instead, the
restaurant is now offering starters such as Duck Hash With Soft
Poached Fried Egg, Baby Arugula and Orange-Maple Vinaigrette and
Chardonnay Braised Artichoke Hearts with Roasted Tri-Color Peppers
and Lemon Pepper Aioli, and even a basket of french fries. Entrees
include a Spiced Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs, Herbed
Pappardelle Pasta with a Roasted Mushroom Medley, Arugula, Pecorino
Cheese and Cracked Black Pepper, and a customizable burger with
toppings such as maple-glazed bacon, roasted thyme and shiitake
mushrooms. The only dish held over from the former menu is the
ever-popular Pave New York Au Poivre With Blue Cheese Potato
Gratin.

Fall Fizztival:
Cafe 21, which serves food with
Azerbaijan influences in San Diego's University Heights
neighborhood, will serve a chocolate, lime and peach "fizz" drink
for $6 through December. The drinks are made with champagne, whole
eggs and farmers market ingredients. Go to www.cafe-21.com.

AVE 5 celebrates three years:
AVE 5 in San
Diego's Banker's Hill is celebrating its third anniversary with new
items, as well as a new interior design, cocktails and weekly
promotions. The new menu will feature fresh local food; promotions
include Burger Wednesdays ($2 off burger menu, plus salad and fries
for free), Prix-Season (three-course meal for $30 from 5 to 6 p.m.
Tuesday though Thursday) and more. Go to
www.avenue5restaurant.com.

Bare Back Grill offers low-price lunches:
The
New Zealand-themed restaurant/bar with locations in Pacific Beach
and downtown San Diego, has introduced Kiwi Kwiki lunch service,
with 13 salads, sandwiches, soups and sliders for $4.50 each. Lunch
hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Also new is a $2 happy hour from
3 to 6 p.m. weekdays and Monday Night Football Bingo parties
beginning next Monday. Visit barebackgrill.com.

Gordon Biersch unveils Oktoberfest menu:
To
celebrate the release of its fall Festbier Lager and Germany's
Oktoberfest, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant in San Diego's
Mission Valley will serve a seasonal menu to complement its new
brew through Oct. 24. The menu includes Festbier Steak Tacos, a
German sausage platter, German Kobe burger, Jaegerschnitzel,
Bavarian Chicken and more. Visit gordenbierschrestaurants.com.

Red Velvet adds tasting hours:
Red Velvet Wine
Bar in Little Italy, which serves a small plates menu with wine
pairings around a communal U-shaped wine bar, has introduced
Prix-Fixe Tasting Hour, a chef-selected, three-course dinner with
wine pairings from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays for $40. The
restaurant, at 750 W. Fir St. in San Diego, also offers "Blind
Tasting Tuesdays." Guests who bring in a bottle of wine in a brown
bag to test the staff on Tuesdays will receive a free 2-ounce blind
wine pour. Red Velvet chef Luke Johnson changes his small plates
menu every week. Visit redvelvetwinebar.com.

George's adds suckling pig dinners:
George's
California Modern in La Jolla is now offering whole suckling pig
dinners for groups of 8 to 10. Reservations are required four days
in advance for the specialty dinners, created by executive chef
Trey Foshee. A suckling pig (a young pig not yet weaned from its
mother, so its meat is tender and juicy) is served tableside, then
carved in the kitchen and served with salad and seasonal side
dishes (such as carrots, spinach, smoked mashed potatoes,
apricot-chipotle puree and fennel mustard). The group dinner is
$600 and can be served in George's California Modern dining room
and George's Modern Bar. Visit georgesatthecove.com.

Cafe Coyote Lobster Celebration:
Cafe Coyote
Old Town celebrates lobster season with a Puerto Nuevo-themed
lobster dinner special Oct. 7 through Nov. 30 at 2461 San Diego
Ave., Old Town San Diego. Diners can get a 1-1/4-pound flash-fried
Pacific lobster with rice, beans and tortillas for $24.95. Visit
cafecoyoteoldtown.com.

Gaslamp bar adds hangover brunch:
Quality
Social in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter has introduced the Morning
After Brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Entrees
on Chef Jared Van Camp's menu include mascarpone-stuffed brioche
French toast and cornmeal-bacon waffles with custard sauce, and
mixologist Ian Ward's wake-up drinks include the Bloody Caesar and
No Hay Huevos.

Soro's debuts fall/winter menu:
Soro's
Mediterranean Grill in Old Town Temecula has a new menu featuring
Greek Nachos (with pita chips, feta and tzatziki sauce), a ceviche
made with red snapper, shrimp, vegetables and lime sauce, the
Anti-Mezza and Cali Fiesta salads, pita sandwiches, a Mediterranean
pizza, Curry Pasta, Blackened Salmon Linguini and Shish Kabob.
Still on the menu are the signature gyros sandwiches and Chicken
Kabob, featuring a chicken breast sauteed in sesame paste and
garlic. Soro's also has a new wine list with 150 wines and
champagnes from Temecula and around the world. Soro's is at 28464
Old Town Front St. Call 851-587-8082.

Veranda offers "Daily Delights":
The Rancho
Bernardo Inn's Veranda Fireside Lounge & Restaurant restaurant
offers daily specials through Nov. 30: build-your-own omelet with
beer or bloody mary for $7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays; a
pitcher of beer and a pound of wings for $10 during Monday Night
Football from 5 to 9 p.m.; three tacos and beer or tequila for $5,
from 3-9 p.m. Tuesdays; $5 wines by the glass and three-course,
all-you-can-eat prime rib dinner for $25 from 5-9 p.m. Wednesdays;
half-off sangria pitchers and live Spanish guitar from 5-8 p.m.
Thursdays; and live jazz and barbecue from 6-9 p.m. Fridays. Call
858-675-8555.

Ruth's Chris offers prix-fixe:
Ruth's Chris
Steakhouse in Sorrento Valley is offering a three-course prix-fixe
dinner of salad or soup, one of three entrees (6-ounce filet and
shrimp or crab cake, BBQ shrimp or stuffed chicken breast) and
dessert of creme caramel and fruit for $39.95. Visit
ruthschris.com.

DINING EVENTS

Taste of North Park:
The second annual urban
food safari will feature tastings at 33 restaurants, bars and
bakeries, as well as openings at eight galleries and boutiques from
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in San Diego's North Park. Tickets are
$30 in advance or $35 at the door. Call 619-233-5008 or
tastenorthpark.com.

The Gourmet Experience:
More than 250 gourmet
food, cooking, luxury and lifestyle product makers, travel
purveyors and services will exhibit at this high-end consumer trade
show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 9 and 10 at the Del Mar
Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. Features include
food tastings, workshops, a demonstration kitchen featuring top San
Diego chefs including Brian Malarkey, Bernard Guillas, Jeff
Rossman, Scott Wagner and Ro Zinniger. Tickets are $25 or $40 for a
two-day pass ($5 more at the door). Children 12 and under are free.
Register online at thegourmetexpo.com.

Callaway Winery Harvest Festival & Grape Stomp: The
Temecula winery's annual grape stomp returns Saturday. A
family-friendly program with grape-stomping and other games for
children, runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and an adults-only event runs
from 5 to 9 p.m. Tickets include a buffet, silent auction and other
events. Tickets are $78 for adults and $35 for children 12 and
under. Call 951-676-4001.

Cafe Merlot fundraiser:
The Bernardo Winery
restaurant hosts a fundraising reception for the Miles for Miracles
3-Day Team from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 8 at 13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte,
Rancho Bernardo. The benefit for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the
Cure team includes wine tasting, appetizers and a silent auction.
Reserve to 858-592-7785.

Olive Harvest Festival near Temecula:
Temecula
Olive Oil Co. is celebrating this season's upcoming olive harvest
with a two-day festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 9 and 10 at its
ranch in Aguanga. Guests can help pick and press olives and enjoy a
lunch of wood-fired pizza and fudge citrus olive oil brownies. Oct.
9 is for all ages and is priced at $35. Oct. 10 is designed for
families and priced at $40 for a family of four and $5 for each
additional person. Advance reservations are required at
951-693-0607. The company has tasting rooms in Old Town Temecula
and Old Town San Diego. Visit temeculaoliveoil.com.

Lorimar Winery Grape Stomp & Harvest Fest:
Lorimar Winery in Temecula will host a Grape Stomp and Harvest Fest
from 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 9. The stomp will include wine tastings,
appetizers, hay rides, a buffet dinner, music from the Bayou
Brothers and grape stomping. Dinner items include a Local Farm
Fresh Vegetable Basket, Spinach Dip With Wheat Crackers, Tuscan
Harvest Grilled Chicken, Fall Beef Brisket, Wild Fall Berries Apple
and Cinnamon Spiced Cobbler and more. Tickets are $60 ($50 for wine
club members and their guests); go to www.lorimarwinery.com or call
951-240-5177. Lorimar is at 42031 Main Street, Suite C, in
Temecula.

OktoberWest in Carlsbad:
West Inn and Suites
and West Steak, Seafood & Spirits Restaurant present an
OktoberWest harvest celebration from noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 9 at 4960
Avenida Encinas in Carlsbad. Chef Eugenio Martignago will prepare
casual food like eggplant, homemade sausage, New York steak
pomodoro and vegetable dishes with produce from West's organic
garden. Cost is $25. Reserve to 760-448-4510.

La Jolla Art & Wine Festival:
The La Jolla
Art & Wine Festival will return from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 9
and 10; a two-day pass is $15, and a one-day pass is $10 for
adults, $5 for children 12 and younger and military and seniors,
and free for children ages 2 and younger. The event, in its second
year, will feature a wine and beer garden, a food court, live music
and more. Go to lajollaartandwinefestival.com.

Lotus Thai anniversary:
Lotus Thai in Hillcrest
is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a neighborhood
appreciation party from 3 to 9 p.m. Oct. 10 at 3761 Sixth Ave. The
party will feature hors d'oeuvres, drink specials, raffle prizes
and entertainment. Lotus Thai specializes in tapas, noodle and rice
plates, soups and more. Go to www.lotusthaisd.com/hillcrest or call
619-299-8272.

Loews, Suzie's Farm continue series:
Mistral at
Loews Coronado Bay Resort and Suzie's Organic Farm co-host a
hands-on lunches where 24 diners will learn about sustainable
farming, cooking and enjoy a three-course lunch with wine pairings,
prepared by Loews' chefs Marc Ehrler and Patrick Ponsaty in the
gardens from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 16 at Suzie's, 1856 Saturn
Blvd. in San Diego. The events include a farm tour and take-home
bag of produce. The next two lunches are from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Oct. 16. Cost is $75 plus tax and tip. Reserve to 619-424-4476 or
dineatmistral.com.

Chef Showdown Culinary Competition 2010:
The
Center for Community Solutions hosts the sixth annual cook-off from
6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 21 at NTC Promenade in Point Loma. Celebrity
judges including chef Bernard Guillas of The Marine Room and host
Sam "The Cooking Guy" Zien will oversee the "Iron Chef"-style
contest between chefs from Busalacchi's, ChileCo, Cosmopolitan,
Cucina Urbana, El Vitral, Le Papagayo, Mistral and Truluck's.
Guests will dine on food from many of these restaurants and there
will be live entertainment and live and silent auctions. Tickets
are $125 and benefit the Center, which serves sexual assault and
domestic violence victims. For tickets, call 858-272-5777 or
ccssd.org.

Hotel del Coronado "Hallo-Wine & Spirits
Party":
The historical hotel hosts an adults-only
Halloween party from 7 to 11 p.m. Oct. 30 at 1500 Orange Ave. in
Coronado. Events include grown-up trick-or-treating with wine,
cheese and chocolate tastings, a "Night of the Bat" party with food
stations, costume contest, beverages, a DJ and dancing. Cost is
$100. A children's Kidtopia party for ages 4 to 12 runs the same
hours for $50. Call 619-522-8490 or visit hoteldel.com.

"Celebrate the Craft" at Torrey Pines:
Local
food, produce and winemakers and gourmet chefs will return to The
Lodge at Torrey Pines for this dining and drinking showcase of
regionally grown ingredients from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 31.
Seventeen top local chefs dedicated to sustainable practices will
prepare dishes with items provided by local food providers, include
Brandt Beef, Venissimo Cheese, Bread & Cie, Crows Pass Farms,
Catalina Offshore Products, Jack Fisher Confections and Stone
Brewery. Tickets are $75. Call 858-453-4420 or go to
lodgetorreypines.com.

"Turandot" Dinner at Vigilucci's:
San Diego
Opera kicks off its third annual series of opera-inspired dinners
at local restaurants, with this Italian gourmet dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 9 at Vigilucci's Ristorante, 1300 Orange Ave., Coronado.
Featured speakers are San Diego Opera education director Nicolas
Reveles discussing Puccini's opera set in ancient China, and
acupuncturist Adrian Bean. Three-course dinner with wine is $55,
including tax and tip. Reservations required to 619-533-7000.

San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival:
Tickets
are now on sale for the seventh annual festival showcasing 170
wineries, 800 wines, 60 local restaurants, celebrity chefs and
events including cooking classes, lectures, wine-tastings, auctions
and dinners, scheduled for Nov. 17-21 at various San Diego
locations. This year's celebrity chef lineup includes Roy Yamaguchi
of Roy's Restaurants, Seattle's Thierry Rautureau, "Top Chef"
participants Brian Malarkey and Kenny Gilbert; Sam the Cooking Guy,
Addison's William Bradley and many more. The festival's major event
is the Grand Tasting from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 20 in Embarcadero
Marina Park. Details and tickets at www.worldofwineevents.com or
619-342-7337.

CHEF NEWS

Guillas invited to James Beard series:
Marine
Room chef and "Flying Pans" cookbook co-author Bernard Guillas has
been invited by the James Beard House to participate in a celebrity
chef series in Kentucky, beginning Saturday and continuing through
Oct. 10. Each night, two celebrity chefs will cook with a
Kentucky-based chef at Kentucky Horse Park's Farmhouse restaurant.
Guillas will cook Oct. 7 with "The Next Iron Chef" winner Jose
Garces and chef Jeremy Ashby of Kentucky restaurant Azur. The menu
will include Lemon Thyme Tempura Avocado Fritters, Maple Smoked
Kentucky Bison New York Carpaccio, Cashew Zaatar Dusted Kentucky
Freshwater Prawn And Maine Diver Scallop, Pear And Blackberry
Cobbler and more. Read about Guillas' journey at
www.chefbernard.com.

Hard Rock Hotel names executive chef:
The Hard
Rock Hotel San Diego has tapped Jon Eyer as its new executive chef
to direct menu development, operations, staffing and training for
the hotel's guest service and restaurants, Maryjane's, 207 and
Float. Eyer previously was executive sous chef at Westin La Paloma
Resort and Spa in Tucson, Ariz., and sous chef at Westin Resort in
Hilton Head Island, S.C., and worked on the development for the
original Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurant. Go to
www.hardrockhotelsd.com.

Anthology's new chef:
Anthology in San Diego
has introduced Todd Allison (who spent his childhood days on
Coronado) as its new executive chef. Allison previously worked as a
sous chef as Aqua at St. Regis Monarch Beach, chef de cuisine at
Bollinger's and executive chef at Checkers Hilton. Go to
www.anthologysd.com or call 619-595-0300.

Flood joins George's chef team:
Chef Travis
Flood has been hired as chef de cuisine for George's at the Cove in
La Jolla. The San Diego native has spent most of the past decade in
the Bay area, working at restaurants including Fifth Floor, Piccolo
Teatro di Sausalito and Moose's Restaurant. He also assisted chef
Mark Sullivan at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and was personal
chef for PayPal creator Peter Thiel from 2004 to 2007.

Calley joins Porto Vista Hotel:
Porto Vista
Hotel has hired Brent Calley as the new executive chef for Little
Italy boutique lodge and its Glass Door restaurant. Calley most
recently served as chef de cuisine at Se San Diego Hotel and has
also cooked at the Hard Rock Hotel, Jake's Del Mar, Cilantros by
the Sea and Pacific Del Mar. Calley is redesigning the hotel and
restaurant menus that combine European influence with casual
California style. His new dinner menu, unveiled Sept. 10, includes
bacon-wrapped lamb loin with vegetables, crab-stuffed scallops with
saffron basmati rice and sauteed escarole, and seared sea bass with
braised artichoke relish. The hotel is at 1835 Columbia St., San
Diego. Call 619-544-0164 or portovistasd.com.

CLASSES

Alchemy of the Hearth:
Offers cooking classes
at its new location, 960 Rancheros Drive, Suite L, San Marcos.
Classes at 4 p.m. are geared toward children and teens. Alchemy of
the Hearth is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Go to alchemyofthehearth.com or call
760-233-2433.

-- 10 a.m. Thursday:
Puff Pastry Baking 101;
$65

-- 1:30 p.m. Thursday:
The Little Napoleons;
$50

-- 6 p.m. Thursday:
The World of Chinese Dim
Sum; $65

-- 6 p.m. Friday:
The Charcuterie Plate;
$65

-- 10 a.m. Saturday:
Healthy Comfort Foods;
$50

-- 1:30 p.m. Saturday:
The Earth's Bounty;
$50

-- 5 p.m. Saturday:
The Dinner Club; $65

-- 10 a.m. Monday:
Italian Desserts; $50

-- 4 p.m. Monday:
Meatball Mania; $40

-- 6 p.m. Monday:
Artisan Breads; $50

-- 10 a.m. Tuesday:
Tarts and Tartlets; $65

-- 4 p.m. Tuesday:
Kids Tartlets; $45

-- 6 p.m. Tuesday:
The Flavors of Miami;
$65

-- 10 a.m. Wednesday:
Pork: The Other White
Meat; $65

-- 4 p.m. Wednesday:
Kids Chicken Pot Pie;
$40

-- 6 p.m. Wednesday:
All About Pie; $50

-- 10 a.m. Oct. 7:
Just Soup; $65

-- 4 p.m. Oct. 7:
Little Cakes for Little
Hands; $40

-- 6 p.m. Oct. 7:
The Chef's Basket; $50

Cups:
The cupcake lounge in La Jolla offers a
variety of classes at 7857 Girard Ave.; go to cupslj.com or call
858-459-2877.

-- 6 p.m. Thursday:
Vegan Cupcake Baking;
$70

-- 9 a.m. Sunday:
Farm-to-Table; $70

-- 1:30 p.m. Sunday:
Kids' Chef School; $50

-- 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8:
Cupcakes and Movie (kids
only); $30

The Grand Del Mar:
The Grand Del Mar resort in
Carmel Valley will host classes throughout the fall and winter. Go
to www.thegranddelmar.com or call 858-314-2000.

Ro Z's Sweet Art Studio:
Rosanne Zinniger's
cake decorating shop and studio at 277 S. Rancho Santa Fe Road, San
Marcos, offers classes in cake decorating. There is also a kids
cake decorating club for children ages 7 to 11 on one Saturday of
every month; go to the website for dates. The store is open from
10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday. Call 760-744-0447 or visit rozsweetartstudio.com.

-- 9 a.m. Oct. 9:
Gourmet Cupcakes with Icing:
Halloween

-- 10 a.m. Oct. 23:
What's New Cupcake:
Halloween

-- 10 a.m. Oct. 23:
Halloween Cupcake
Decorating

-- 6:30 p.m. Oct. 26:
Halloween Cake Pops

-- 6:30 p.m. Oct. 28:
Halloween Gourmet
Apples

"Simply Cooking For the Fun of It: Herbs and
Spices":
The city of Carlsbad hosts chef Steve Patterson,
who will teach a class on how to use herbs and spices to add zest
to your food at 3 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Carlsbad Senior Center, 799
Pine Ave., Carlsbad. Admission is $5. Reserve to 760-602-4650.

Taste of Opera Cooking Classes:
In honor of San
Diego Opera's 2011 season, Great News Discount Cookware &
Cooking School's chef Katherine Emmenegger and San Diego Opera
Education Director Nicolas Reveles will team up for a series of
opera educational lectures and themed cooking classes for each of
the season's four productions next year. Classes are $54 and take
place at 1788 Garnet Ave. Reserve to 858-270-1582, ext. 3, or go to
www.great-news.com.

-- Noon Saturday:
High tea and class on making
lavender potpourri; $10

-- Noon Oct. 9:
High tea and vegan cooking
class; $10

-- Noon Oct. 15:
High tea and vegan cooking
class; $10

Wine Making Behind the Scenes:
San Diego
State's College of Extended Studies hosts a wine-making workshop
from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 16 at Maurice Car'rie Winery, 34225
Rancho California Road in Temecula. Cost is $195 or $225 after Oct.
9. Must be 21 to participate. Call 619-594-6924 or
neverstoplearning.net/wine.html.

IN THE SPIRITS

Acqua Al 2:
The Gaslamp Quarter restaurant
hosts wine tastings during "Uncorked" the first Wednesday of every
month at 322 Fifth Ave. in San Diego. For $20, guests taste four
wine/spirit selections paired with four appetizers. Reservations
are required; call 619-230-0382 or go to acquaal2.com.

The Collective:
Tasting lounge features
one-of-a-kind, handmade boutique wines at 28544 Old Town Front
Street in Temecula. Hours are 3 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays and
Thursdays, noon to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 10
p.m. Sundays. Call 951-693-4567 or go to tvwinecollective.com.

ENO-Versity at the Hotel Del:
ENO, the wine,
cheese and chocolate tasting room at the Hotel del Coronado, has
announced fall classes for ENO-Versity. Classes are $35 per person
and start at 4 p.m.; call 619-522-8546 or go to
hoteldel.com/ENO-wine. The Hotel Del is at 1500 Orange Ave. in
Coronado.

Miramonte Winery:
The Temecula winery hosts
VIBE once a month with music, food, wines, champagnes, beers and
DJs; the winery also hosts "Just Us Girls" at 7 p.m. the first
Thursday of every month. The event features wines, champagne
cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and vendors. Go to miramontewinery.com or
call 951-506-5500.

The North County Wine Company:
Tastings daily
at 1099 San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos, plus special events from 10
a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. Sundays. Call
760-744-2119 or visit www.NorthCountyWineCompany.com.

Stone Brewery:
The Escondido brewery and
restaurant is hosting events at 1999 Citracado Parkway in
Escondido. The bistro also hosts movies in its garden. Call
760-471-4999 or go to www.stonebrew.com to check availability.

-- 7 p.m. Oct. 12:
Master Pairings: Beer &
Sushi; $49

-- 6 p.m. Oct. 26:
Fresh Dinner; $55

Tango offers half-price Wednesdays:
Escondido's
Tango Restaurant & Lounge is offering half-price on all drinks
and bottles of wine from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, as well as happy
hour pricing all evening. Visit tangoongrand.com.

T&H Prime Meats & Sausage:
The shop now
offers tastings from 10 San Diego wineries from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursdays-Saturdays for $5, which includes four tastes and a San
Diego Vintners Association souvenir wine glass, at 735 E. Mission
Road, San Marcos. Call 760-471-9192.

Vinz Wine Bar:
Full restaurant menu with wide
wine menu by the glass or bottle. Tastings are from $5-$10 from 5
to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and 3 to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and come with
charcuterie and cheese. Live music on Saturdays. Vinz is at 201 E.
Grand Ave., Escondido. Call 760-743-8466 or visit
vinzwinebar.net.

Wiens Family Cellars:
The Temecula winery hosts
the Summer Wine Lounge from 5 to 9 p.m. on select Fridays through
the summer. The winery encourages guests to bring a picnic dinner
while sipping wine and listening to live music on the patio. Go to
www.wienscellars.com/temecula-events/ or call 951-694-9892.

Wine Styles:
The Encinitas wine store hosts
tastings from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 1-6 p.m. Saturdays.
Cost is $15 or $10 for WineClub members and includes six to eight
wines and snacks. The shop also hosts WineDown Fridays, where
guests enjoy wine and live music and can bring in food to
socialize. Call 760-633-0057.